In the soul, emptiness is the advice of a psychologist what to do. Emptiness inside - what will help to cope with it Feeling empty inside

It happens in life that a person is consumed by a feeling of loneliness and apathy towards everything and everyone. Such spiritual emptiness may occur once or twice, and may quite often interfere with living a full life. Without a timely response, this condition can even develop into depression, which is considered a serious psychological illness. The information below will help you recognize the characteristic symptoms of such a phenomenon in time or avoid their occurrence.

The reasons

The state of emptiness can appear quite unexpectedly. A person may not notice at all what was affected. Just in one moment you stopped feeling happy. Life, of course, goes on, but it no longer brings joy. People around you may not be aware of your problems at all, and you, in turn, will ask yourself: why did the emptiness appear inside me?

Among the reasons for the onset of such a crisis period are the following:

  • Banal fatigue. Every person gives up at some point and no longer wants to endure a constant routine, an unloved job, eternal fuss, etc.
  • Stress. The feeling of emptiness is often observed as a reaction to the loss of a loved one, major changes in life, etc.
  • Shock. Something similar to a stressful situation, but it can be caused by betrayal, betrayal, destruction of the usual picture of the world, etc.
  • Loss of life orientation, goals. Every person in life has some kind of aspiration. It can be easily implemented or very long-term, but its loss or achievement can create a void in the soul.
  • Any difficult life situation can break a person. Inner emptiness is the natural result of such circumstances.

Symptoms

People suffering from this disease are distinguished by great indifference to the world around them. They close in on themselves, on their own problems, which are often simply far-fetched. When there is emptiness in your soul, you don’t want to do anything: take care of your own appearance, the situation in the house, leave your favorite four walls. In such a situation, a person is often left alone, because he is no longer interested in communicating with friends and acquaintances. It is very good if there is a family that will not quit in a difficult situation and pay attention to such a state.

Often there is a feeling that the soul was put on display. This is especially observed among people who have been betrayed.

Emotional emptiness clouds everything around. The events around you simply fade. This painful state quickly drags you into the abyss of loneliness and darkness, devalues ​​previously significant things. Such a state, as is considered in psychology, can even lead to physical pain. Many people, when there is a feeling of emptiness, begin to suffer from migraines. In this situation, medications may be powerless.

If you do not respond to this condition in a timely manner, do not pull yourself together or seek the help of a psychologist, you can bring yourself to the very real disease - depression. The result of the latter, as many know, is often suicidal behavior.

What to do first?

Inner emptiness requires serious attention on the part of a person and, preferably, his relatives. It is quite difficult to deal with this phenomenon on your own without support, but it is possible. It takes a lot of willpower. In this case, be guided by one position: who would you really like to be, a weak, weak-willed creature or a person who knows how to rejoice, love and live? If you chose the second, then here is a list of completely simple emergency measures:

  • Start complaining. Yes, just complain! This, like nothing else, will help you look at yourself from the outside, voice everything that has boiled in your soul. It remains to find a person who just take and cry.
  • Trust people. This may be very difficult for people who have just been betrayed, but take a look at your surroundings. Surely there is someone who can fearlessly speak out, and who will help with practical advice.
  • Look for the cause of your condition. Self-digging in this case is only beneficial. Think about it, maybe your job or a certain person is to blame. You will have to eliminate this reason: find a favorite thing or say goodbye forever to the culprit of the inner emptiness.
  • Stimulate your emotions. It is not particularly important here what emotions these will be, the main thing is to get rid of the indifference with which you have been looking at the world lately. Achieve the release of adrenaline in the blood. Extreme sports will help with this. Read a dramatic book, watch a funny movie, or just enjoy the sunset. There are many options, just choose something you like.

Another question is what and how to fill the void in the soul. There is a lot of information in psychology about this. Below are just the basics.

How to fill the spiritual emptiness?

It is very easy for a person to think about this in his usual state, not subject to emptiness outside and inside. It is more difficult to perceive this information when you do not want anything, and the meaning of life disappears.

Noticing a kind of emptiness in yourself, you need to try to pull yourself together, no matter how difficult it may sound at the moment, or ask relatives and friends for help. You can get out of this state, for this you just need to figure out what will fill the resulting void in life. There are several options for this:

Personal life

This is exactly the area that absorbs a person headlong and in all serious. Immerse yourself in the world of feelings, find a place for them in your heart, and you will feel alive again. If you have a loved one, then let him take care of you. If you have children, take care of them. They probably don't get enough attention right now. Find a foothold for yourself: in the form of a person, a group of people or an event. In fact, real life is in full swing next to you. Don't let her pass you by!

Work

Perhaps it's time to change your profession or place of work. Have you ever wondered how much energy your work takes? Maybe it's time to turn your favorite pastime into one that makes a profit? The activity itself gives us room for maneuver: new acquaintances, employment, goals, etc.

Hobbies

It's time to do something interesting and unusual. Agree to any offers, perhaps something will interest you right now. If you've been wanting to join a dance class or a gym for a long time, now is the time. Captivate yourself with something new, and you simply won’t have time to think about how to get rid of the emptiness in your soul.

Think Positive

If there is emptiness in the soul, then there is a lot of space left for something new and unusual. Now is the period in life when you can start everything from scratch, with new emotions, feelings and friends. There is a space in the heart right now that needs to be filled with completely new information. While you are filling it out, try to find support from loved ones. You need communication now more than ever.

In the case when it is impossible to get out of such a state on your own, psychology or psychotherapy comes to the rescue. Referring to a specialist should not be regarded as something shameful. For many people, the state of emptiness leads to more serious phenomena. To avoid this, it is better to go through several sessions of psychoanalysis at this stage.

You go to work, study, make plans, everything suits you and suddenly everything loses its meaning. What was useful yesterday is useless today. Where does the emptiness inside come from and how not to fight it? How to feel the joy of life during such a spiritual "abyss"? What needs to be done to combat the inner cold and emptiness? If you find a "desert" inside yourself - it's time to plant " blooming garden". Read to the end and there will no longer be a feeling of emptiness inside you.

Causes of feelings of emptiness.

When you realize "I can no longer fight indifference to everything," then it's time to give yourself a moral shake-up. It is important to understand why life has ceased to boil inside you, and you resemble a squeezed lemon. Psychological decline cannot arise just like that - it has a justification. Why has the ordinary turned into a kind of gray mass, where there is neither, nor a sense of freedom? Life turns into a black and white movie when a person is morally exhausted. Routine, eternal fuss gradually takes away energy.

If the first year of office work with a strict boss was bearable, then after three years you don't want to just get out of bed and even think about going to work. The presence of stress is another factor that can drive a person into a corner, take away any desire to act. Fear of drastic changes, loss of something, critical situations for which we are not ready - this inspires a feeling of loneliness and devastation.

The emptiness inside is often the result of upheavals. How can you think about when a friend betrayed you or, conversely, you let him down? When you spent the whole night creating a project to attract investment in your business, and your competitor bribed investors and won. Shock is a great stress that knocks a person off the usual path.

When important goals are replaced by unplanned situations, it can not stand it. Usually, after such a shake-up, a person says “I can’t take it anymore” and he has a frightening sensation. The acute period has passed, but the consequences of it leave a detrimental imprint. Here there is a difficulty to return to the usual rhythm of life and again want to act for new results. If you lose what you have been saving for so long, what you valued, your hands drop, and silence sets in inside.

Emptiness comes inside, but what to do next? Under the influence of indifference, comes. Under its influence, a person acquires the status of "hopelessness" and a complete lack of initiative to do anything. Therefore, as soon as emptiness has entered the soul, it must be expelled with all efforts. Otherwise, a person ceases to be, and his life becomes like a mess. In order not to completely alienate relatives, friends, and the prospect of being happy in such a state, you need to distinguish between true reasons and false ones. Often, emptiness is a simulated state in which we lure ourselves into, due to such reasons:

  • Lack of attention or lack of privacy. "I'm so lonely/lonely, no one loves me." You need to go to a meeting to communicate with interesting people and not become isolated in yourself.
  • The whole day at work is completely exhausting, and then all that remains is to lie on the couch and watch TV. The work requires a responsible approach, the fulfillment of duties that sometimes go against the grain of the employee. It is important to be ready to contribute or think about finding a more interesting job. We ourselves create the framework in which we experience oppression.
  • A long wait for success gradually takes away energy. After a while, any desire disappears. When you do not feel the result, the effect of your actions, you gradually lose interest. You need to reconsider your views on the venture or pay attention to another type of activity.
  • “I can no longer live in poverty, I don’t want to be with these people, I deserve better.” Lack of benefits, dissatisfaction with communication makes every day gray, and a person. Just what have you done to live in prosperity and be surrounded by the right people? It is important to take steps to get out of the social bottom.

Symptoms of emptiness inside.

  1. Feelings of inferiority. about appearance, success, social status - this makes you not so complete in the eyes of others. You feel worthless, lack of opportunities to attract attention.
  2. You set outrageous goals. The search collapses in the collapse of your plans when you encounter difficulties.
  3. Indifference to others and huge. So I don’t want to make efforts on myself to get on my feet. This is especially expressed when you are unemployed for a long time, you do not set goals, you are underestimated in society.
  4. Fear of creating relationships. A phobia to approach a nice person and talk to him, although you have liked him for a long time. I really want tenderness, but you feel that you will not be able to take a decisive step. You are left alone with your fears and prejudices.
  5. arises from the understanding of meaninglessness. You go to work to allow yourself to eat, to live, it lasts for years, the days seem gray, and you are indifferent. Circumstances, routine make a person a hostage.
  6. Thoughts of suicide appear when you realize your helplessness. A serious illness, the loss of a valuable person, the loss of values ​​- big shocks take away common sense and instill chronic.
  7. Surrounding people constantly condemn, society presses, does not accept you in its true form. A person feels his hopelessness, because he does not fit into any framework, and his attempts are bombarded by a flurry of negativity.

How to deal with this feeling?

Whatever the emptiness inside, and because of what it arose, there are always ways of rehabilitation. This state can easily go where it came from. Mistakenly, in the "broken" period, people turn to alcohol and other addictions.

The opinion that temporary pleasure will free you from the state of emptiness is extremely erroneous. This will not give confidence, but, on the contrary, will accustom you to other addictions. In order not to pull yourself out of a larger quagmire of problems later, it is better to listen to these recommendations:

1. Be able to trust.

When it’s like cats are fighting inside, and you feel helpless, you should turn to your closest ones. You should not withdraw into yourself, but it is better to ask for support from those who will always understand. It is important to find someone you really trust. Sincere relationships allow you to find understanding, solace,.

2. Take a break from the negative.

Everything has piled up and does not allow you to exhale freely? The moral void will gradually go away if you pause. Why not go to the mountains from this noisy metropolis, from this fuss? In nature, one feels inner harmony, which was lacking all this time. Inner loneliness often heals solitude surrounded by nature, a new environment. If you have been wanting to go on a trip for a long time, it's time to buy tickets and let the adventures come to life. For starters, it doesn’t hurt to at least go to the cinema, sing karaoke, make homemade sushi and invite guests!

3. Let feelings into your life.

I can no longer be alone with myself, I lack feelings. The mood to create a personal life is a natural desire. How long can you live in the cold, be detached, look back at the touching dates of friends and go on your way? If you saved yourself until better times, then it's probably time to become alive and draw attention to your side.

4. Make an emotional shake.

When life is like a dry field full of weeds, it's important to renew it and plant a new crop. Feelings and emotional shaking go hand in hand. You can also swing frozen ones. You cannot always be an idol, go headlong and not experience emotions. There is a mood to cry, sing your favorite songs with a guitar, go to a club for dancing, skydive or sign up for martial arts. This will turn on your real mode and let a new breath into your life.

5. Pay attention to development.

Emptiness can take away from a person any opportunity to get on his feet in order to come to success. You can't let circumstances take over. Do you dream of being an entrepreneur? It is important to communicate with successful people, go to trainings on personal growth, read a lot of literature. Do you have a secret desire to try your hand at acting or perform on stage? Do not deny yourself the idea of ​​expressing yourself.

Why not get a special education, watch educational videos, find useful contacts. It is important to work your way to a better future and assert yourself. Then emptiness will have no place in your life.

6. Find your own interests.

Work-home-work-bar-home-cafe and so on in a circle. Routine not only erases the boundaries of reality, it kills in you all interest in another kind of activity. On weekends, you can go out of town to pick mushrooms or visit the swimming pool. Hobbies dilute ordinary days that make you be responsible, do duties, maybe pretend. - a way to regain freedom and taste for.

If the emptiness inside does not give peace - apply these tips and you will feel the result. Do not be afraid to make mistakes, try to take control of the situation and start the path of your own liberation. It may be difficult at first, but soon this terrible feeling of devastation will leave you. Do not let every little thing negatively affect you, but strive to remain neutral - this will save your state and give you a sense of confidence.

I think many in their lives experience a feeling of emptiness, inner emptiness. Some experience it often and are aware of it, while others do not so clearly, perhaps they were not even aware of it in themselves, but, one way or another, everyone is familiar with this state.

Stay with yourself

This state frightens us, a person tries his best to avoid it, not be in it. There are people who can't be alone with themselves, it frightens them, although they do not even admit to themselves the fear itself. Characteristic signs of fear of being alone with yourself - a person turns on music, TV, or just reads a book. But there is a small but, some do it at will, that is, they want to read, watch, listen. They are easily left alone with themselves if they wish, this is normal. But there is another option, when a person begins to worry, toss, nervousness in silence.

What does a person feel when he is in a state of emptiness? The first and one of the brightest feelings - this sense of meaninglessness of life, it seems to a person that everything that surrounds him is meaningless and brings nothing but disappointments, everything that a person has created seems so small and insignificant. At this moment, all the goals that a person had lose their meaning. A person feels empty, useless, not significant in this world. Few people like this state and the mind begins to look for evidence that this is not so. A person has an internal conflict, he sees his uselessness and does not agree with it.

Man always strives to fill the void

A struggle, disagreement wakes up in a person, and naturally, he begins to look for manifestations of his significance, to fill this void with outward signs, or by cultivating inner spiritual qualities. Some start fill your world with things and by this they show their significance, value, others try to become spiritual or just kind people - this is their value. They evaluate themselves in this way, it doesn’t matter if it happens consciously or even the person does not realize that he sets his price himself, with things belonging to him, the position he holds, or internal qualities.

Why do we not want to be what we are, at what point did the person himself, his soul, lose value? Perhaps because somewhere deep down we believe that we cannot lose ourselves, the soul. Our mind understands that the soul can be bright or defiled, but it will not go anywhere, it will still be with us. A person does not experience fear of losing himself, I do not mean now to lose himself in life, I am now talking about myself as an object that really exists in our world. After all most human fears are associated with losses, man is afraid of death not because he may lose himself, he is afraid because he may lose his life. Or rather, not even so - we are afraid of losing what we have: a job, a position, a loved one, a car, health, the significance of our knowledge, experience, we can lose a lot of other things and hide life behind a word.

Fear of loss

It turns out that we are afraid of everything, everything that we can lose, and the more we have, the more terrible it becomes to live. But in the life of people Sheep, everything is given only for a while. Fear, in turn, causes discontent, disagreement, conflict. Now imagine how much everything surrounds us, what we can lose, everything, everything that surrounds us, to one degree or another, we consider that it belongs to us, even the air on the city street to some extent we consider our property, do not believe it ?

Don't believe that you consider the air yours? Imagine your outrage when you are told that some company has bought all the air on the planet and now everyone who breathes must give half of their income for the use of air. Now such a turn of events seems absurd and impossible, but the point is not in this, the point is in the reaction that will occur in us when this fact appears.

The fact is that we are afraid of losing everything that there is information in our memory, all this causes conflicts and discontent in us, we are always filled with them almost every moment of our life, but we have become accustomed to these states to such an extent that we simply do not notice many of them in ourselves. We are filled with these fears, discontents, struggles. If a person is filled with these feelings, what can he sow into the world around him? Only what he is filled with, and given that almost every person is in this state for most of his life, it is not surprising that we live in all this every day.

It turns out a vicious circle - we ourselves generate fear, conflict, discontent, sow it into the world, then we stumble upon the same thing, sown by someone else, and this gives rise to a new conflict, discontent in us, and so continuously in every event that occurs in life. Even if a person is aware of this situation and does not want to sow negativity into the world, restrains himself, he thereby also generates disagreement with what is. And disagreement with what already exists gives rise to violence - internal violence against oneself, and the result is the same thing, but under a different name.

A person who wants to become spiritually better, kinder, also gives rise to conflict and does the same thing as the rest, but under a different motto, but the actions themselves are also violence against someone or oneself. This is how our world works, which people have built for themselves and live in it. I have not yet met a single person who would be pleased with everything and rejoice in everything that surrounds him, accepting the world as it is and would not try to change at least something in it.

Sometimes, you get so tired of constantly worrying, suffering, experiencing emotions that a cold, emptiness appears in your soul. Psychologists do not consider this feeling normal, it may indicate a serious mental disorder. The feeling is strange, because you seem to live and not. Where does the abyss come from? How to get rid of the terrible emptiness and feel happy again?

The reasons

Often a person himself does not notice when he has a crisis period, in which the entire inner world begins to collapse, forming a black hole. People around often do not notice how bad it is for a person who seems to be living an ordinary life, but in fact it is dark and “damp” inside. Factors leading to this condition can be identified:

  • Strong. Constant routine, eternal fuss lead to moral exhaustion. Unbeknownst to everyone, spiritual strength begins to dry up.
  • Stress. After a serious loss, sudden life changes, it is very difficult to recover, therefore it appears, which eventually leads to emptiness.
  • Shock. Despite the fact that this condition is similar to stress, do not confuse it. A person is going through shocks due to treason, betrayal, when a beautiful fairy-tale world, like a fragile constructor, collapses in one moment.
  • Lack of purpose. If the completed tasks are not replaced by others, it becomes very difficult. Probably, everyone had to experience such a feeling when you reach a goal (no matter how difficult it is), after that life becomes boring and less interesting.
  • acute period. When a lot of things fall on a person at once, after a while you can feel emptiness, emotional burnout.

What causes spiritual emptiness?

Unfortunately, everything ends with melancholy, indifference, depression, apathy. The man seems to be living in hopelessness. If timely action is not taken, everything can end in suicide.

Emotional emptiness leads to the fact that a person is indifferent to everything - he is not interested in the world around him, closes in himself, stops contacting people. Due to the devastation of the soul, he launches his appearance, home, he is often abandoned by friends. In order to prevent tragedy, it is important to understand that the soul was burned by experiences that, it would seem, are already in the past, but do not go anywhere, interfere with life.

What to do?

Gradually, you need to fill the void. Of course, this is quite difficult to do, but if there is a desire to live fully again, then it is possible. Think that it is better to be a soulless creature or a real person who knows how to rejoice, cry, sincerely love. You need to overpower yourself, get angry and fill the empty space.

Follow these steps:

  • Don't be afraid to complain. Surely you have relatives, friends, you don’t need to keep everything in yourself, cry, speak out.
  • Learn to trust. Close people will not wish you harm, they will always console, listen, give valuable advice, and understand.
  • Understand the reason. Perhaps you need to change locations, move away from all the fuss. Sometimes it is enough to think alone, in a new environment. A house outside the city helps a lot. Here you can cut trees, plant flowers, get rid of dry grass. Doing all these works, you will begin to notice how you cleanse your soul, draw pain out of it.
  • Gotta rock your emotions, for this you can go in for an extreme sport that will raise the level of adrenaline. You can read a heartbreaking book, watch a melodrama. And it is enough for someone to enjoy the beautiful nature, sunrise or just fall in love.

How to fill the spiritual emptiness?

It is important to understand that emptiness concerns different aspects of life. Therefore, it is necessary to act correctly. In your soul should re-populate:

  • The world of feelings, personal life. A person cannot fully live without tenderness and passion. Do not be afraid to start a new relationship, even if the previous experience was unsuccessful. Open your soul, maybe you will find your true loved one, with whom you will feel happy again.
  • Relationships with loved ones. Sometimes the daily hustle and bustle leads to the fact that a person does not have enough time to communicate with loved ones. Do not give up on relatives - visit your grandparents, parents, brother, sister, talk heart to heart. These people truly love you, they will be able to stir you up.
  • Job. Often a person is saved by a favorite activity. If earlier work did not bring happiness to you, find yourself, do what you have long wanted to do. Do not look at work as hard work, approach it creatively. It motivates you.
  • Hobbies. Don't hesitate to attend different events. Find a hobby that will get you hooked. Thus, you will get fresh emotions.

It turns out that to fill the void in the soul, you just need to gather strength, learn to enjoy life, enjoy it. You must do everything so that your life is filled with bright colors, feelings, then harmony will appear in your soul.

Waking up in the morning with the feeling that there is no reason to get up and face a new day? From time to time, every person feels a feeling of emptiness, it is not easy to get rid of it. If this feeling is persistent, then it may be a sign of an illness that is based on depression, and if you almost always feel empty, you should seek the help of a qualified psychologist. But there are means by which you can overcome the occasional manifestations of this feeling, such as keeping a diary, learning something new and making new friends. Read on to learn more about how to deal with feelings of emptiness.

Steps

Fill your life with love

    Spend time with those who love you. It could be your family or some of your closest friends. Time spent with those who truly know you and love you for who you are is a cure for feeling empty. Concentrate on building and strengthening your connections with these people. You can find meaning in just spending time with loved ones who feel good around you. Also, time spent with family and friends can reduce stress and give you a better sense of connection.

    • Spend less time with those people who put you down, even if they don't seem to be. If you are obligated to spend time around someone who harms your self-esteem or makes you feel helpless, then limit the time of these meetings.
  1. Make new friends or start a romantic relationship. The pleasure of meeting someone with whom you form a mental connection, and the possibility that this relationship will grow into something unexpected, is a terrific antidote to feeling empty. A new friend or love interest can help you experience new experiences and show that you are interesting person who has something to love. Suddenly, the world may seem to you as if there is much more to it than you previously thought. Making new friendships can also help you feel a deeper sense of purpose and connection with those around you.

    • Sometimes it can be difficult to make new friends and meet people, especially in your adult years when you have already graduated from high school. Participating in clubs, working out in groups, or spending time at your favorite haunt are great ways to meet new people.
    • Try to be more generous with your time and say yes when you are invited to do something. If you feel that you do not have time for a new relationship, they will not appear.
  2. Adopt an animal. Research has shown that having a pet can make life more fulfilling, more meaningful. Those people who have their own pets suffer less from depression and can benefit from the presence of a pet in their home for their health. If you have a pet that depends on you and your care, then this will help you see your life as more meaningful. Consider adopting a local shelter cat or dog to reduce your feelings of emptiness.

    Be kinder. Doing unplanned acts of kindness can help you feel more important as your focus is on others. Look for those little things that you can use to demonstrate your kindness to other people. These acts of kindness you do will make other people feel joyful, which will help you feel meaningful.

    Understand why you feel empty

    1. Talk to a friend you trust about your feelings. Keeping your feelings to yourself will harm you over time. Sometimes just talking about it can belittle them or drive them away. Talk to someone who understands and cares about you, or at least someone you trust; it can make a big difference.

      Start journaling and keep track of your feelings and thoughts. Keeping a journal can help you better understand your feelings of emptiness, as well as The best way relieve stress. To start journaling, choose a comfortable place and plan to spend about 20 minutes each day writing. You can start journaling by writing about your feelings or thoughts, or you can use a prompt. The following guiding questions can serve as clues:

      • When did you first notice your emptiness? How long did this feeling last? How long do you feel empty?
      • What emotions do you experience when you are in a state of inner emptiness?
      • Do you tend to feel empty at certain times or in certain places? What do you notice about your surroundings when you are in the most intense state of emptiness?
      • What thoughts come to you when you feel empty?
    2. Watch for signs of depression. People experience depression in different ways, but low mood and feelings of emptiness or worthlessness are very common symptoms. Depression can come in waves when you feel fine for a while and then be in a bad mood for weeks or even months, or it can be stable. Depression is very common among people: in the US, for example, about 6.7% of adults experience major depressive disorder. Women are 70% more likely than men to experience depression. If you think you have depression, then you are not alone in this. Seek treatment from your psychologist or psychiatrist if you experience any of the following symptoms of depression:

      • Constant feeling of sadness, anxiety, or "emptiness"
      • Pessimism and hopelessness
      • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
      • Unusual irritability or restlessness
      • Changes in mood or behavior
      • Loss of interest in things you used to love
      • Fatigue
      • Changing sleep patterns
      • Weight change
      • Thought of hurting yourself or others
      • Pain that does not respond to medication
    3. Decide if addiction could be a problem. Another reason for feeling empty is certain substances. Substances such as alcohol, drugs, and prescription drug abuse can cause physical dependence on them. This can have a serious impact on your mood, thoughts and behavior. Often people use these substances to fill a "hole" in their lives. If you think that you have such a problem, then you are not alone in this: in 2012, about 7.2% of the US population suffered from alcohol dependence (AD). Many others are addicted to mental active substances such as marijuana, stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine, hallucinogens like LSD, drugs like heroin. If you are worried that you have such a problem, ask yourself the following questions. Over the past year you:

      Examine your behavior to see if you have borderline personality disorder (BPD). People suffering from BPD often report feelings of emptiness. People with borderline personality disorder experience compulsive patterns of unstable emotions and behaviors that cause exhaustion or social distress. People with BPD have difficulty regulating their behavior and thoughts. They are prone to reckless behavior and cannot contain their impulses. Their relationships with other people become unstable. Approximately 1.6% of US adults are diagnosed with BPD in any given year. BPD is successfully treated under professional guidance. If you are experiencing all or some of the following signs of BPD, then you should see a psychiatrist:

      • You go to great lengths to avoid rejection, whether real or imagined. You often believe that you will be abandoned or separated from your loved one. You react negatively, such as becoming extremely angry or fearful, even when you are temporarily apart (for example, your spouse is going to work). You are very afraid of being alone.
      • You alternate between idealization and a state of obsession with the people with whom you maintain relationships. People with BPD often start their relationship by putting the other person on a pedestal, seeing them as perfect or ideal. After a while, you begin to think that this person does not care enough about you or participate in your relationship. Your relationship becomes unstable.
      • You have an unstable sense of your own identity. People with BPD begin to struggle with maintaining a stable sense of themselves, their identity, and self-esteem.
      • You are very reckless or impulsive. This is especially true when it comes to suicide. You may do reckless things such as drunk driving, gambling, drug abuse or risky sexual behavior.
      • You often contemplate harming yourself and attempt suicide. You may injure yourself such as cuts, scrapes, or burns. Or you may threaten to harm yourself to draw attention to yourself.
      • You often experience extreme mood swings. These swings occur frequently and are very pronounced, for example, from joy to despair.
      • You are constantly feeling empty. You often feel empty, or longing, or feeling like you need to do something.
      • You have trouble controlling your anger. Many things provoke your anger, and you react with outbursts, which may include bitterness, sarcasm, or verbal outbursts of emotion. Be especially angry if you think that someone is indifferent.
      • Sometimes you are paranoid, or you feel the "unreality" of the world around you.
    4. Engage in meditation and explore your feelings of emptiness. Meditation can help you get in touch with your feelings of emptiness and understand them better. Studies have shown that 30 minutes of meditation a day can help change the behavior and activity of the brain. To start meditating, sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. To help yourself improve your understanding of your wholeness.

      • Pay attention to how you feel at the moment. Do you feel empty or missing, such as lack of value, dignity, clarity, or lack of peace or love? Accept the fact that this feeling exists.
      • Notice how empty you feel. Where in your body do you feel it? And how much space does it take up?
      • Think about your emptiness. Does it come from memories of the past? What emotions come up when you notice this emptiness?
    5. Seek help from a qualified psychiatrist. Talking to your doctor about how you feel can help you understand and begin to deal with this emptiness. Your feeling of emptiness may be indicative of depression or some other underlying condition. You should definitely seek the help of a psychiatrist if you have signs of depression, substance abuse, or BPD.

    Finding meaning in everyday life

      Practice awareness. Awareness means that you are fully aware of your thoughts, emotions, and current events without judgment. Research has shown significant benefits of mindfulness, including easing stress and issues with anxious feelings. Awareness can even rewire your brain's response to stress and help you interact more fully with others. Learning to be aware of your thoughts and feelings and acknowledge them without judging those emotions or yourself can help you become more calm, empathetic, and content. You can practice mindfulness at home, through meditation, or by attending a class. Here is an exercise to get you started:

      Do something new. If you feel empty every day, then you may be stuck in a rut. What routine things and schemes can pull you down? Find a way to bring new energy into your life. Changing your daily routine, or setting aside half an hour a day for something new, can help fill that void.

      • For example, if it's frustrating to get up and go to school or work every day, consider how you can make the process more interesting. Find yourself a new extracurricular activity to rekindle your excitement about school, or start volunteering for a new project at work.
      • Try something that is a little outside of your comfort zone. Improving in a new area will give you something to think about and help you build confidence.
      • Even small changes can make a big difference. Try a dish from a cuisine you don't know, ride your bike to work instead of driving, or start doing yoga in the morning before school.
      • A change in your personal space can also help. Replace your gray curtains in the bedroom with something brighter, paint the walls a different color, clean up and bring creativity to the decor.
    1. Follow the goals and interests that are important to you. To feel the meaning of life, you should work towards achieving those goals and interests that mean a lot to you. Don't let others control what goals you set and what interests you choose. If you're trying to achieve something that doesn't really interest you, then you may need to readjust your aspirations to make sure you've chosen the right path.

      • If you're studying, consider whether you're studying what you want to study, or if it was just your parents' choice.
      • Other types of external pressure can also have a negative effect on the decisions we make. Decide if you're doing what you want to do or if it's just to look more impressive to others.
      • If you find that there are forces or people preventing you from living independently, take steps to change the situation. As you gain more control over your circumstances, you may find that feeling of emptiness subsides.
    2. Look for meaning in every day of your life. If life seems dull and monotonous, then it can help you see the beauty and meaning in small, everyday things. What makes you content and full of life? When you find something that you feel lifts you up, make it an integral part of your life. Here are some ideas on how to bring meaning to your daily routine:

    3. Take care of yourself. Exercise, healthy food, rest and relaxation are important components of a meaningful life. When you take care of yourself, you send signals to your brain that you are worthy of care and that your life has value. Remember to make sure you make enough time to meet your basic needs for exercise, nutrition, sleep, and relaxation.

      • Set a goal to exercise for half an hour each day.
      • Eat a balanced diet of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats.
      • Sleep 8 hours a day.
      • Set aside at least 15 minutes a day for yoga, deep breathing exercises, or meditation.


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